When I Saw Your Face
by ipreferwestside
Summary: "She managed not to trip when she saw who her captain was talking to. That wasn't...it couldn't be...oh, but when he turned so she saw his whole face, she felt her stomach clench and her heart flutter." A season 3 meeting AU. COMPLETE.


**WHEN I SAW YOUR FACE**

* * *

 _Your eyes whispered "have we met?"  
_ _Across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me.  
_ _The playful conversation starts  
_ _Counter all your quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy  
_ _And it was enchanting to meet you  
_ _All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you_

 _Enchanted -_ Taylor Swift

* * *

Kate Beckett couldn't help the sharp inhale as she entered the City University of New York Law School library. It had been transformed from a room full of books and comfortable chairs to an elegant ballroom, with Christmas lights strung over the bookcases and along the ceiling, and drapes covering the windows. A bar and silent auction had been set up in the hall, and as her eyes swept the room, she couldn't help but smile at the faces she saw.

Her captain had been right; he had some serious connections.

She saw the mayor, a few people from the District Attorney's office, even a couple of judges and - _oh_ \- was that a Senator?

"Detective Beckett," Roy Montgomery greeted her, approaching her with a drink in his hand. "Nice party."

Kate couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Sir. And thank you for helping me with the invite list." She nodded towards the people milling around. "Most of these people are way above my pay grade."

Roy smiled. "Well, when you become Captain, you'll understand just how handy favors can be. But I didn't have to call in very many; your mother is a legend. As soon as I told them what this was for, they jumped at the chance to help honor her memory."

Kate felt her face flush and looked down in embarrassment. "Thank you. I'm just glad to have the opportunity. I almost didn't even buy a ticket."

"Yeah, we had to force you to," came a voice from her side.

Kate turned to see her best friend, and she gave Lanie a look. "Shut up, Lanie." She raised an eyebrow at Lanie's empty hands. "No drink?"

Lanie shrugged a shoulder. "Javi's getting it. Kevin and Jenny should be here soon, by the way. He got stuck with last minute paperwork."

Kate winced. "I owe him." She'd had to switch shifts; although she'd used an event planner that coordinated with the school, there had still been last minute details to oversee, and she'd been at the library for the better part of the afternoon. She'd barely finished getting ready when her car had arrived.

"You can make it up to him next time he has to do something wedding-related that he hates," Lanie teased. "Like picking out the flowers."

Kate laughed, then leaned down and gave her best friend a quick hug. "Thanks for coming, Lanie. It means a lot."

"I wouldn't miss it. Your mom would be proud."

Kate blinked back the tears that sprang to her eyes at Lanie's words, and greeted Javi when he arrived with a couple drinks. She was about to ask him about the case they'd been on, when she saw Montgomery waving at her from across the room, beckoning her over. "Looks like I'm being summoned. See you later."

She managed not to trip when she saw who her captain was talking to. That wasn't...it couldn't be... _oh_ , but when he turned so she saw his whole face, she felt her stomach clench and her heart flutter.

 _Holy shit._

"Beckett!" Montgomery greeted her cheerfully, one hand around a champagne flute and the other reaching out to clap her on the shoulder. "I wanted to introduce you to one of my friends. This is Richard Castle."

Kate nonchalantly wiped her palm on her skirt - well, she tried, but she did notice the slight quirk of his eyebrow when he noticed - and held out her hand. "Mr. Castle, nice to meet you. Kate Beckett."

"Please, call me Rick," he replied with a smile, his grip firm in hers. "Roy tells me you're a fan?"

Kate felt her cheeks flush; captain or not, she was going to give Montgomery a hard time the next day. She knew bringing in Castle's books from her personal library when they had the copycat case a couple years before had been a bad idea. "Of the genre," she insisted, but it was weak, and she could tell that he knew it.

"Well, genre or not, it's always nice to meet a fan." Rick slid his hands in his pockets after passing off his empty champagne flute to a passing waiter. "Can I get you a drink?" he asked, glancing at her empty hands.

Kate smiled. "Thank you, but I'll pass right now. I'm giving a speech soon."

"Well, maybe after. I'd love to hear about how this all came to be. Roy told me a little about your mom, but only that she was a great lawyer who fought for the little people."

Kate swallowed around the lump in her throat at Rick's words. "Yes, she was-"

"Kate? We're ready for you."

Kate nodded at the event coordinator, and offered her hand to Rick again. "That's my cue. It was nice to meet you, Rick. Thank you again for coming."

Rick gave her a wide smile. "Of course. I'll see you after?"

"Maybe."

She made her way to the makeshift stage and stood just to the side of the podium, slightly behind the Dean of the university, as she said a few words.

"Thank you all for coming. A few weeks ago, I received a call from a woman who said she had a dream, a desire, to honor her mother's memory while also helping others. I worked with Johanna Beckett a few times before her untimely death. She was an extraordinary woman who fought for those who didn't have a voice. She fought for the truth. And Kate, her daughter, wanted to do something in her memory. So, the Johanna Beckett scholarship was born. To say a few words, please welcome, Detective Kate Beckett."

Kate felt her face flush at the Dean's words, and she gave the older woman a brief hug before stepping to the podium. Her face searched the crowd and she smiled at Lanie, Javi, and Kevin, before clearing her throat. "Thank you, Dean Anderson. Twelve years ago, my mother died while doing something she loved, fighting for a cause that was more than just finding justice for those who had been wronged. She believed in the truth, in doing what was right, not what was easy. So I reached out to Dean Anderson, asked if she would be interested in setting up this scholarship."

Her eyes roamed the room as she spoke, and when they landed on Rick Castle, she just barely stuttered. He was gazing up at her with nothing short of awe written across his features, a slight smile on his face. How could a stranger, who she'd literally interacted with for about thirty seconds, _look_ at her like that?

 _Get a hold of yourself._

"My mom's motto was _vincit omnia veritas._ Truth conquers all. And I truly believe that here at CUNY Law School, the recipient of this annual scholarship will always be someone who will dedicate their life, their career, to the cause. The cause of finding the truth, no matter how difficult. Of putting in the hard work, the hours, the tears, to help those in the legal system without a voice." She smiled, eyes still on Rick. "I miss my mom every day, and I've dedicated my life to finding justice for others who have lost their loved ones. My hope is that this scholarship can help someone else do the same thing. Thank you very much."

She stepped off the podium on unsteady knees; her heels weren't affecting her balance, but the speech was. She hated talking in front of people, let alone a couple hundred strangers, some of whom were several pay grades above her. And talking about her mom was never easy.

Lanie intercepted her right away, wrapping her arms around Kate in a tight hug. "That was a beautiful speech, Kate."

"Thanks, Lanie." Kate pulled away and turned to Ryan, gave him a quick hug. "I'm glad you could make it, Kev. Thank you."

"Jenny's sorry that she couldn't make it," Ryan returned, "she couldn't get out of watching her nieces." His gaze shifted behind her left shoulder and he gave a short nod. "Looks like you have a line," he quipped, a smile tugging at his lips.

Kate turned to see Rick standing a few feet away, a smile on his face. "You're back."

"I wanted to see if I could get you that drink now," he said, his hands back in his pockets. If Kate didn't know any better, that he was a bachelor playboy who cycled through women like it was his second job, she'd almost think he was nervous.

Almost.

She couldn't help but return his smile; reputation notwithstanding, he was handsome and charming, and she found herself gravitating closer to him. She could hear Lanie and the boys snickering behind her, but she ignored them and took a step closer to Rick. "I think that would be nice," she admitted, jerking her head back towards the hallway. "Shall we?"

"So, Detective, how did all of this come about?" Rick asked after retrieving two champagne flutes and leading her to a more secluded area, as though wanting some semblance of privacy.

Kate smiled, tilting her head down and letting her hair cover her face to hide the flush she knew was creeping onto her cheeks. "It's funny, actually," she admitted with a chuckle, lifting her head back up to look at Rick. "You know that big lottery a couple months back?" At Rick's nod, she continued. "I bought a few tickets, mostly to get my friends off my back, and ended up winning some money."

"And you didn't go out and buy a new car, or property on the moon?" Rick joked.

"I didn't win enough for the moon," she teased back. "No, I wanted to do something meaningful, something to make-" She paused to swallow around the lump in her throat. "Well, something that my mom would want."

"Oh." Rick fell silent, and when Kate snuck a glance at him from the corner of her eye she saw him staring at her. No, not staring, more like...more like gazing. "You know," he said after a few moments, "most women wouldn't do this. Most women I know would treat their girlfriends to a spa weekend, or buy really nice jewelry."

Kate motioned down her body to her fairly simple red dress and nondescript heels. "I'm not exactly 'most women,'" she pointed out. "I like a good spa day like anyone else, but I've made my life about making a difference, and that includes this."

"I see," Rick said softly, his eyes still on her. "Listen, Kate-"

"Kate!"

She turned at the sound of her name and saw the event organizer coming towards her, yet again interrupting whatever Rick was about to say. "Yes?" she snapped, her annoyance sneaking into her tone.

"We're about to announce the silent auction winners."

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute." Kate turned back to Rick with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. It's the downside to being the host, I'm afraid." She held out her hand, ignoring the shivers that ran up her spine when Rick took it. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Castle."

Rick smiled and released her hand after a light squeeze. "It was nice to have met you too, Detective Beckett. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah, maybe." She shuffled from foot to foot, them finally relented and leaned towards him, brushing a kiss against his cheek. "Goodnight, Rick." And with one last smile, she turned to go back to the fundraiser, to the people who had come for the sake of honoring her mother's legacy.

* * *

 **Three weeks later…**

"You were the primary suspect in your father's murder twenty years ago, Mr. Westlake. Why should I believe you now?"

Damien Westlake held his head in his hands as he sat in the interrogation room of the Twelfth Precinct. "Because I have an alibi. I was with friends."

Kate leaned forward in her seat across from him, fingers interlocked on the top of the table. "Sure. Do any of these friends have names, and phone numbers?"

"Of course they do." Westlake took the notepad that Kate pushed in front of him and started writing. "They're guys I went to school with, we get together every so often to catch up. Lewis Phelps, Matt Duncan, and Rick Castle."

Kate managed to keep from visibly reacting to Rick's name. She hadn't seen him since the scholarship fundraiser three weeks before, and they'd never exchanged numbers (although he did know where she worked), but she'd thought about him almost daily. She had all of his books, and every time she passed her bookcase she remembered how charming he'd been, even sweet. And he hadn't exactly been bad to look at, either.

And now she'd have to interview him.

There were definitely worse ways to spend a Tuesday.

"Hey Espo," Kate called out when she shut the interrogation door behind her. She handed him the notepad. "Can you get a hold of these three, confirm Westlake's alibi?"

Esposito smirked when he saw the third name on the list. "Want me to have them come down here in person?" he joked, waving the notepad in the air.

Kate glared at him. "Funny. Good thing you're good at your day job," she shot back. She busied herself with preparing the warrant to search Damien's townhouse, stopping only when Espo called out her name. She looked up from her computer with a "Huh?"

"One of Westlake's friends insisted on coming down to give his statement in person. In fact," Espo continued, his eyes shifting behind her shoulder, "he's here now."

Kate closed her eyes briefly; she had a feeling she knew exactly which one of Westlake's friends Espo was talking about. She pushed back her chair and stood, turning to greet the visitor. She couldn't help but smile; despite the reason he was there, she was happy to see him.

"Mr. Castle," she greeted him, her hand extended. "Thank you for coming down."

Rick took her offered hand with a smile. "I told you I'd see you around."

"You said 'maybe.'" Kate rolled her eyes, but led him into the break room for the interview. "We could have done this over the phone, you know," she said, shutting the door behind her. "Coffee?"

"Please."

"You told Detective Esposito that you were having lunch with Mr. Westlake and two other friends around the time that his wife was killed, is that correct?" She set a mug in front of him, taking a sip of her own as she sat at the table across from him.

Rick nodded. "Yes, that's correct. He was already at the restaurant when I got there a little after 12:30, and he and I stayed after the others left. We didn't leave until after 3."

"And did you leave together?" At his raised eyebrow, Kate felt her face flush. "I didn't mean it like that. Did you go your separate ways right then?"

"No. I had an appointment to get to that was on the way to his place, so I was with him until almost 4. 3:45, maybe."

Kate jotted down a few more notes, then pulled out her business card. "Okay, thanks, Mr. Castle. If there's any other questions, we may call you. And if you think of anything else, feel free to give me a call."

"I will." Rick leaned back in his chair. "So, how are you?"

Kate mirrored his pose, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'm good," she replied with a nod. "How about you?"

Rick smiled. "Better now. You know, one could say this is fate."

"Oh?" Kate cocked an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, just yesterday I was in JFK, and I happened to see a sign advertising the CUNY Law School. Naturally, it made me think of you. Believe it or not, I was going to try to call you tomorrow, see if I could buy you a drink, or coffee, maybe dinner." Rick shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. "I know you're probably busy, but I'd like to see you again. Maybe not at an event or, well, here," he added, sweeping his arm at the break room.

Kate leaned forward, nudging her coffee mug to the side. "I'd like that," she admitted, her face flushing. "Maybe after I wrap the case. I can't…" She shrugged a shoulder. "I have a hard time focusing on anything else when I have an open case, and it would just be weird, with you as an alibi."

"I can see that." Rick stood, and opened the door for Kate when she followed. "How about I call you later, check in?" He held his hand out.

Kate looked at his hand for a moment, then smiled and took it, squeezed it. "I'd like that. You have my number; my cell is on the back." She walked him to the elevator. "Thank you for coming in, Rick."

Rick smiled. "Any time. I'll talk to you later, Kate."

Kate watched the elevator doors close, concealing Rick from her view, and she drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she smiled. She froze when she turned and saw Ryan and Esposito staring at her, grinning. "Shut up and get back to work," she barked, but they all knew it had no bite.

Esposito just raised his eyebrows and went back to the murder board, while Ryan fell into step with her as she went back into the break room. "So. Rick Castle," he teased. "You like him."

Kate shot him a look as she cleaned their mugs. "Shut up."

Later that night, though, as she stared at the murder board, trying desperately to find the one thing that would solve the Westlake murder, she couldn't help but let her thoughts stray to the handsome mystery writer who'd popped back up when she'd least expected it. Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was just coincidence, or strange timing that she'd see him again right before Valentine's Day. Regardless of whether it was coincidence, or fate, or just a fact of life, she knew Ryan was right. She liked him.

She liked him a lot.

And she couldn't wait to see him again.

* * *

 _As usual, this would not have been published were it not for Callie's pom poms and occasional therapy._


End file.
